# Drafting women **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107 "2006-11-20T04:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/61 "2006-11-22T01:56:06Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] Who does the planning? [/QUOTE] This position has proven tough to fill… ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/62 "2006-11-22T01:56:58Z")
Am I the only one who would like to throw **Malienation** and **Catsix** into a room together? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/63 "2006-11-22T01:59:12Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] so fuckin sue me… [/quote] right, what’s your lawyer’s name? > [@](#): > > Um… Yea, even the combat roles. You do realize we have female fighter pilots, right? The combat AND support roles on the carrier can be performed by both sexes. What’s your point? That if the draft is ever needed, women are suitable for many roles, thus should be drafted along with men. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/64 "2006-11-22T02:22:33Z")
[QUOTE=Malienation] This is the sort of reasoning that underscores why I’d never, ever lift a finger to help an unknown woman in need. They’d never help me, [your protests notwithstanding](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7555823&postcount=4); there’s _always_ an excuse not to. Male labor is, I admit, often valued more than female labor, but that merely means they’re most valuable as slaves. Male _life_, however, is just another convenient throwaway item. [/QUOTE] Whoa, man, let’s not go overboard here! I think you’re extrapolating way too much. And besides, if you don’t believe that a woman would help you in times of need (and I’m not quite sure how you got to that conclusion), wouldn’t it be better to encourage them to do so, rather than just denying help to all unknown women who need it? Ie, raise expectations for everyone, rather than lowering them for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/65 "2006-11-22T02:36:32Z")
[QUOTE=Rodgers01] And besides, if you don’t believe that a woman would help you in times of need (and I’m not quite sure how you got to that conclusion) [/QUOTE] C’mon…really. When was the last time you read in the paper or heard on the news “area man in trouble, disaster averted by heroic woman?” :rolleyes: Never, that’s when. They’ll help someone they know…maybe, if they deem the man sufficiently important to them. Otherwise, it’s been nice knowing you, pal… ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/66 "2006-11-22T02:45:52Z")
[QUOTE=Malienation] C’mon…really. When was the last time you read in the paper or heard on the news “area man in trouble, disaster averted by heroic woman?” :rolleyes: Never, that’s when. They’ll help someone they know…maybe, if they deem the man sufficiently important to them. Otherwise, it’s been nice knowing you, pal… [/QUOTE] I don’t _know_, but I can guess that yes, in times when a disaster is imminent and heroic acts (often of a physical nature) are called for, it is proably a man who comes to the rescue. But I can also say that in my experience, women do volunteer work in far greater numbers than men, and that can be every bit as life-saving. Women are often the ones who run soup kitchens, blood banks, charity drives, etc., all for complete strangers. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/67 "2006-11-22T03:29:49Z")
[QUOTE=Rodgers01] I don’t _know_, but I can guess that yes, in times when a disaster is imminent and heroic acts (often of a physical nature) are called for, it is proably a man who comes to the rescue. But I can also say that in my experience, women do volunteer work in far greater numbers than men, and that can be every bit as life-saving. Women are often the ones who run soup kitchens, blood banks, charity drives, etc., all for complete strangers. [/QUOTE] Okay, I’ll give you that… but that’s _work_, life-saving but not life-_risking_. And many of those women don’t hold outside jobs, or work part-time. How many men can do that? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/68 "2006-11-22T04:04:05Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] That if the draft is ever needed, women are suitable for many roles, thus should be drafted along with men. [/QUOTE] Yea and I agreed with this. With the caveat that I do not support _any_ draft. And also that ony one provider per family be eligible. So if the mom is already drafted or already serving, the father becomes not eligible. And if the dad is serving or drafted, then mom is ineligible. And I added that this policy would have the benefit of persuading husbands to voluntarily enlist before a draft starts because it would make their wives ineligible. Also, for reasons too complicated to explain but not at all unlike **erie’s** example, I do not agree with placing woman into infantry type units. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/69 "2006-11-22T17:16:44Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] So if the mom is already drafted or already serving, the father becomes not eligible. And if the dad is serving or drafted, then mom is ineligible. And I added that this policy would have the benefit of persuading husbands to voluntarily enlist before a draft starts because it would make their wives ineligible. [/QUOTE] I realize this is a totally separate issue, but what of a gay couple raising an adopted child? Oh, and I don’t know what news **Malienation** watches, but I’ve seen plenty of “Mom Lifts Car To Save Toddler” stories. Most of the “heroic man saves day” stories I see are about police officers, firefighters, and other predominantly male occupations. Is it any wonder we see so many such news stories when we don’t let women do those jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/70 "2006-11-22T17:22:12Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] I’ve seen plenty of “Mom Lifts Car To Save Toddler” stories. [/QUOTE] Yeah…_their own toddler_. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/71 "2006-11-22T17:59:47Z")
And so your response is to denigrate women because they don’t rescue complete strangers? It makes as much sense to denigrate men because they don’t save their families. Your choice says volumes about you. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/72 "2006-11-22T19:01:35Z")
[QUOTE=Fish] I realize this is a totally separate issue, but what of a gay couple raising an adopted child?.. [/QUOTE] Or a seperated couple who have joint custody of a child. Who serves if they both get drafted at the same time and can’t agree on who goes. Or does a family have to include children? If a couple has no children is it acceptable to draft both of them? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/73 "2006-11-22T21:28:43Z")
I think part of the confusion here may just be country-related. I am a reservist in Canada. Canada, does not, at this time, send their reservist overseas without the reservist volunteering. That may change, but for now that’s they way it is. When I spoke of backfilling, there is still a need. Not only for supply, but paperwork, training, recruiting, logistics and ops still continue to happen both here _and_ overseas. That said, if they send all of the reg force personnel they will still need people to do these (traditionally) full-time jobs, hence the backfill. Although units go over, they still need a support infrastructure at home for these troops, and future members as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107/74 "2006-11-23T02:58:01Z")
[QUOTE=Poysyn] I think part of the confusion here may just be country-related. I am a reservist in Canada. Canada, does not, at this time, send their reservist overseas without the reservist volunteering. That may change, but for now that’s they way it is. When I spoke of backfilling, there is still a need. Not only for supply, but paperwork, training, recruiting, logistics and ops still continue to happen both here _and_ overseas. That said, if they send all of the reg force personnel they will still need people to do these (traditionally) full-time jobs, hence the backfill. Although units go over, they still need a support infrastructure at home for these troops, and future members as well. [/QUOTE] But here, there are non-deploying units for the training and recruiting and those things. Those units do not go anywhere, so no need to backfill any vacancies. To keep it simple, lets say right now I am supported by Finance, Food, Supplies, Vehicles, and Ammunition. When my unit deploys, the food, supply, ammunition, and vehicle units that support us all leave too. So now we still have all the support we had before. And since, they only support my unit, there is no unit left in the rear in need of support. So no back filling required. The finance support stays back home and continues to support from back in the states. Everything is direct deposit, so all that stuff is still handled back in the states. And, since they did not deploy, no backfilling is needed there. Anyway, I understand what you’re saying, there’s always a few vacancies here or there to be filled. But the Army has made things very efficient to avoid these issues. > [@Fish](#): > > I realize this is a totally separate issue, but what of a gay couple raising an adopted child? > [@alphaboi](#): > > [Or a seperated couple who have joint custody of a child. Who serves if they both get drafted at the same time and can’t agree on who goes. Or does a family have to include children? If a couple has no children is it acceptable to draft both of them? Easy, no gays allowed. If that rule is ever changed, then: If the gay couple had a legal adoption that listed both of them as parents, then one can get drafted and one is exempt. If the gay couple live as parents, but legally only _one_ of them is the Guardian, then that one is exempt because he or she is a sole provider. Single parents are exempt. The partner is not exempt and can be drafted. If it’s a homo or hetero divorced couple with dual custody, then it works the same as a married couple. I should start an “Ask Me to Make US Policy” thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drafting-women/381107.md?page=3)